TWO MILLION CARS HIT BY AIRBAG RECALL

With more than two million Australian cars subject to today’s compulsory recall, RACV is urging vehicle manufacturers to act quickly to replace faulty airbags in affected vehicles.

The federal government has announced a recall of 2.3 million vehicles with defective Takata airbags that pose a serious threat to lives.

It affects more than 60 models from manufacturers including Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Nissan, Mazda, BMW, Lexus, Chrysler and others.

The airbags have been associated with 20 deaths worldwide, including that of a New South Wales man who police say was fatally injured by flying shrapnel from his Honda CR-V airbag.

In July last year, RACV called for the federal government to place a greater emphasis on the voluntary recall of defective airbags announced at that time, and since then has put pressure on manufacturers to speed up the replacement process.

“Now it is time for vehicle manufacturers and vehicle dealers to urgently replace these airbags so motorists can feel safe in their vehicles.

“We acknowledge this recall will no doubt come as an inconvenience to many Victorians whose vehicles are affected,” says Mr Case. “It is important for Victorian consumers to know that replacing affected airbags is free of charge, even if you bought the car secondhand.”

If your car, motorcycle or truck is on the list, call your local dealership or manufacturer immediately to arrange to get the airbags replaced.

If your vehicle has Takata Alpha airbags (as noted on the Product Safety Authority list) do not drive the vehicle as it is a critical safety risk.

Do not interfere with the vehicle’s safety features as it could pose a serious safety risk.

SOURCE: RACV

UPDATE: COMPULSORY TAKATA AIRBAG RECALLS AFFECTING AUSTRALIAN DRIVERS

Drivers are being urged to check if they are affected by the compulsory recall of vehicles with defective Takata airbags, which has been issued by the Assistant Minister to the Treasurer, the Hon Michael Sukkar.

The ACCC has published a list of vehicles that are currently under active recall. If your vehicle is under active recall, then you should contact your supplier to arrange replacement of the affected Takata airbag as soon as possible. Suppliers will provide instructions on their website to assist consumers.

The compulsory recall requires all suppliers of vehicles with defective Takata airbags to recall the vehicles. This will include vehicles made by Ford, GM Holden, Mercedes Benz, Tesla, Jaguar Land Rover, Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda, as well as those vehicles that have had a like-for-like replacement Takata airbag and newer models that have yet to be recalled.

Details of these additional recalls will be published on the Product Safety website by April 2018 at the latest, or as and when suppliers initiate a recall.

Consumers should subscribe to receive updates about future recalls on our website. You will also be able to check your supplier’s website from 1 July 2018 for a detailed list of active and future recalls.